Duck call



y 1951 F. J. MUEHLSTEl-N 2,555,240

- DUCK CALL Filed Jflhe 9, 1948 f kzzerzio 'z jw w an. I

Patented May 29, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DUCK CALL Francis J. Muehlstein, St. BauLvMinn.

Application June 9, 1948;.Serial No. 31,930

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to duck calls and constitutes a valuable improvement over my United States Letters Patent No. 1,855,527.

Most duck calls now extensively sold require expert skill and experience on the part of the user, for production of successful results. A deceptive similarity to the call of a wild duck is usually only produced when the fingers or hand of the user over the discharge of the conventional call, are skillfully manipulated. Only a small percentage, constituting skilled manipulators of conventional, duck calls, are able to call a flock of wild ducks down to their decoys.

The structure disclosed in my Patent No. 1,855,527 proved generally satisfactory and of high utility, as contrasted with its prior art devices. The original device was. constructed to in many respects, closely reproduce the action of a ducks mouth and bill and vocal organs in the production and control of sounds emitted.

I have unexpectedly discovered, after exhaustive experimentation and research, that the functions of my original duck call could be quite substantially improved by correlating discharge of sound and air fromthe diminished portion of a tubular discharge member in relation to the end of the tube and to the upper swingable ducks bill section to obtain very sensitive fluctuations in sound, particularly trills, closely resembling those of a wild duck.

It istherefore, another object of my present invention to provide an improved duck call utilizing the general principle of my original device with a swingable upper bill member associated with the sound and wind discharge to produce opening and closing in much the manner of a wild duck, but further providing sound and wind deflecting means related to the open end of the tubular discharge and with the swingable bill section in a manner to enable the user to produce very accurately, trills and variable pitches in the call produced.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention Will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference: characters refer to imilar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of my improved duck call with some portions of the upper bill section broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation. showing the bill closed, in full lines and open, partially, to pressure of wind discharged, in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the,

line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a crosssection-taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 showing the relation of the air tube with the reed and its clamping attachment elements;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig: 6 is a plan view of the reed element detached.

In the drawings; a casing I!) having a cylindrical interior, is shaped as shown, exteriorly to resemble the head of a wild duck. Casing. I0 isopen at its ends and may be molded or otherwise formed from metal or plastic material.

or carved from such material as wood.

The rear end Illa of the casing forms a mouthpiece and preferably, is rounded to comfortably fit the mouth. At the other end, a reinforcing. sleeve II is telescoped within the casing extend-- ing from the forward extremity thereof, for a short distance inwardly and is secured thereto toform a socket for a discharge tube l2.

Discharge tube I2, as shown, comprises a tubular, relatively short rear portion 12a adapted to snugly and frictionally fit the annular seat II and to be supported therefrom and has a forwardly extending diminished and longer portion 821) which extends some distance forwardly of the head casing in position to underlie the upper bill section l3 of the structure.

The rear portion IZa of the discharge tube [2, as, in my original device, is adapted to receive a pair of reed mounting blocks l4 and it respectively. The upper block M is semi-cylindrical and closely fits the upper half of member l2a extending-approximately to the rear edge of such member. The lower block !5 is semicircular in cross section and has'a rectangular sound-receiving. aperture i561. in the rear intermediate portion. thereof, extending from an inclined, fiatted upper surface l5b downwardly into communication with a longitudinal passage I50 whichextends through the-forward end of blOck' l5 in communication with the diminished forward portion of tube member 52.

As in my original structure, a lower bill section or shell l6 constructed of sheet material, plastic or other suitable material, is secured to theforward end and lower portion of the head casing ill'by suitable interfitting means such as the tongue I61; and is also preferably secured at its intermediate portion to the underside of the tube sectionv 12b as by a strip of metal or other material I1. Bill section It is stationary.

The upper swingable bill section is of shell construction resembling the upper bill section of "a at its rear and upper corners with attachment duck andis provided. as in my; original. device ears I3a.of..triangular shape adapted to be pivilower bill section I6 and overlaps slightly the edges of the lower section when the call is at rest.

A reed member [9 constructed of a very thin strip of material such as metal, has its free end positioned for vibration over the sound recess [a and as shown, is supported and clamped in operative position between the opposing surfaces of blocks I i and [5. A small cushioning disc is secured by bonding or other attachment means adjacent the outer end of tube section I21) and at the top thereof, to cushion the dropping of the hinged bill section l3 and to eliminate noise in the inward swinging of the bill section.

To the forward extremity of the discharge tube I2 I attach a peculiarly shaped trill-producing member 2! acting as a baffle and air and sound distributor in cooperative relation with the circular extremity of tube section I21) and with the chamber formed between the two bill sections.

The peculiar shape of this deflector and distributor member can be ascertained from study of Figs. 1, 3 and 5. It is of inclined trough construction, being of substantially arcuate cross section and being inclined at its bottom from the extremity of tube section |2b to its front and top in spout formation. The side edges of trough member 2| it will be noted, are spaced slightly outward of the circular forward edge of tube l 2 leaving as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5, small arcuate slits between the rear edges of the trough member 2! and the cylindrical wall at the outer end of tube [2. With my improved construction air and sound are distributed materially upwardly against the swingable bill section, but

small amounts of air and distribution of sound take place rearwardly and laterally between the rear edges of the spout member 2| and the forward extremity of tube I2. This structure produces an unexpected perfection in control of the lower croaking sounds and in producing tremolo sounds or trills very closely simulating those of a wild duck.

In use, the head member ID is conveniently held with one hand, with the mouthpiece Ifla comfortably fitting within the lips of the user. Air is blown through the passage within the head and the tongue is used to control sound and assist in production of variations and tremolos.

The air passes over the reed l9 causing vibration and production of sound and thereafter, the air and the sound produced pass through the passage I50 and the tube [2 and out the open end of the tube. The spout-shaped distributor member 21 directs the major portion of the air stream upwardly against the swingable bill section l3 raising this bill section proportionately with the amount of air discharged. My improved distributor more efliciently projects the discharged air against the bill to cause swinging and reciprocating of the bill to more accurately resemble the opening and closing of a ducks bill during calling.

Furthermore, it will be noted that because of the spout shape of distributor member 2|, a

greater intensity of discharged air against the upper shell section or bill I 3 is produced. The deflection of sound vibrations upwardly and rearwardly and the resultant effect produced through the cooperation of my improved spout-like distributor 2| and the two bill sections result in emanation of sound very similar to that emanating from a live duck. Some small amount of air escapes through the slits which are formed between the rear edges of the spout member and the periphery of the outer extremity of the tube portion 1212. This distribution of air unexpectedly enables an unskilled user to very sensitively control pitches and variations in sounds produced. My improved call has a much greater range than the structure of my prior patent. Trills and tremolos can be produced with my improved call, very accurately resembling those of a wild duck.

It will of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. A duck call comprising a casing having a longitudinal passage therethrough, an air actuated sound-producing means located within the passage of said casing, a mouthpiece at one end of said casing, a tubular member receiving air and sound waves from said casing and terminating forwardly of said casing, a shell swingably attached to the forward portion of said casing and overlying the outer extremity of said tubular member and a spout shaped air distribution member in the form of a deflector plate having its lower edge positioned against the lower forward edge of said tubular member and having a front portion diverging upwardly from the forward end of said tubular member and having curved side portions extending from the front portion rearwardly to the sides of the extremity of said tubular member and spaced slightly therefrom to deflect air rearwardly.

2. A duck call comprisin a casing having a longitudinal passage therethrough, an air actuated sound-producing means located within the passage of said casing, a mouthpiece at one end of said casing, a tubular member receiving air and sound waves from said casing, and terminating forwardly of said casing, a shell swingably attached to the forward portion of said casing and overlying the outer extremity of said tubular member and a spout-shaped air distribution member secured to the discharge end of said tubular member and extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom to direct air and sound waves produced upwardly against said swingable shell and also provide for distribution of sound waves below said shell member, said spout shaped member being aflixed to the forward or discharge extremity of said tubular member and having side portions for deflecting air rearwardly, said side portions being spaced slightly from the forward extremity of said tubular member and being disposed outwardly thereof.

FRANCIS J. MUEHLSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

